PETpla.net Insider 07+08 / 2021

MATERIALS / RECYCLING PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 07+08/21 www.petpla.net 42 Tackling plastic waste problem in Thailand with PET bottle-to-bottle recycling line EcoBlue Ltd., Thailand’s first bottle-to-bottle recycler, has set up a new recycling facility for PET and polyolefins. A new Starlinger PET bottle-to-bottle recycling line is going to be part of the expansion. “Our aim is to turn post-consumer and post-industrial waste materials into a sustainable substitute of virgin resin”, explains Pranay Jain, founder and Managing Director of EcoBlue Ltd. “In anticipation of the increased commitment of organisations towards sustainability, EcoBlue has invested in setting up a new recycling facility with technologies for PET and polyolefins recycling. By having Starlinger as a technology partner, we will ensure that we are able to provide consistent and high-quality bottle-grade rPET to our customers.” Starlinger’s RecoStar PET 215 iV+ bottle-to-bottle recycling system will be delivered to EcoBlue’s production site in Rayong Province, Thailand, in July 2021 and within the follow- ing weeks be assembled by the local Starlinger technician with remote support from Starlinger’s headquar- ters in Austria. The line reaches an output of 2,500 kg/h, equalling a total production capacity of about 20,000 t of bottle-grade rPET per year. High quality food-grade rPET made from certified 100% post-consumer recycled waste EcoBlue is Thailand’s first recy- cling company to receive the Letter of No-Objection (LNO) by the US FDA for its “3D Pure” rPET for use in food- contact applications. The Starlinger technology will enable EcoBlue to provide superior quality rPET resin for bottle applications. EcoBlue’s “3D Pure” rPET can be traced back to 100% post-consumer PET waste material through its global recycled standard certification process. Providing sustainable recycled resin to brand owners for reducing their carbon foot print “We aim to work towards a cir- cularity of resources by diverting post-consumer and post-industrial waste materials from landfills to the recycling stream”, explains Pranay Jain the motivation that drives the company. EcoBlue was founded in 2013 and has developed unique capa- bilities to produce high-quality rPET, rPP and rHDPE from post-consumer and industrial waste, providing a sustainable substitute to virgin resin. EcoBlue’s commitment towards sus- tainability does not only consist in pro- viding high-quality recycled resin that can help reduce the carbon foot print of environmentally conscious organi- sations, but also in ensuring that it is produced in safe and equitable work- ing conditions with no harmful impact on people and the environment. “With our portfolio of recycled products we provide a choice of sustainable raw materials for companies which look to reduce their impact on the environ- ment”, says Pranay Jain. Bigger extruder sizes meet customer demands A special feature of the Star- linger PET recycling line is its spe- cial extruder size: With the 215mm screw the line reaches an output of 2,500 kg/h. “We sold the first PET recycling line with these extruder dimensions in 2019 and have wit- nessed a growing demand for this capacity since then. It is currently one of the most popular extruder sizes on the market and meets the existing trend towards higher extrusion capaci- ties perfectly. The incoming orders for 215mm extruders for bottle-to-bottle applications exceed even our expec- tations”, explains Andreas Pech- Starlinger RecoStar PET 215 iV+ bottle-to-bottle recycling line